Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Gilgamesh was king of Uruk,..." (more)
Key Phrases: Bull of Heaven, Epic of Gilgamesh, Near East (more...)

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Herbert Mason's best-selling Gilgamesh is the most widely read and enduring interpretation of this ancient Babylonian epic. One of the oldest and most universal stories known in literature, the epic of Gilgamesh presents the grand, timeless themes of love and death, loss and reparations within the stirring tale of a hero-king and his doomed friend. A finalist for the National Book Award, Mason's retelling is at once a triumph of scholarship, a masterpiece of style, and a labor of love that grew out of the poet's long affinity with the original.

About the Author

Herbert Mason is William Goodwin Aurelio professor of history and religious thought at Boston University. He lives in Phillipston, Massachusetts.

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Product Details Paperback: 128 pages Publisher: Mariner Books; 1 edition (July 8, 2003) Language: English ISBN-10: 0618275649 ISBN-13: 978-0618275649 Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #223,823 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in this category: (What's this?) #8 in  Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Mythology > Gilgamesh

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First Sentence:
Gilgamesh was king of Uruk, Read the first page

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Bull of Heaven, Epic of Gilgamesh, Near East, New York

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 9 books:

• Sumerian Mythology by Samuel Noah Kramer on page 102, and page 105
• The Divine Comedy (The Inferno, The Purgatorio, and The Paradiso) by Dante Alighieri on page 100
• Divine Comedy (Oxford World's Classics) by Dante Alighieri on page 100
• Bible and the Ancient Near East: Essays in Honor of William Foxwell Albright by Ernest G. Wright on page 105
• Gilgamesh Epic and Old Testament Parallels (Phoenix Books) by Alexander Heidel on page 105

See all 9 books this book cites

 

17 books cite this book:

• The Epic Cosmos (Studies in Genre) by Larry Allums in Back Matter
• The Hound of the Baskervilles: 150th Anniversary Edition (Signet Classics) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Back Matter
• Gilgamesh: A New Rendering in English Verse by David Ferry in Back Matter
• Readings in Western Religious Thought: The Ancient World (v. 1) by Patrick V. Reid on page 9
• Poetry for Dummies by The Poetry Center on page 94

See all 17 books citing this book

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	94% buy the item featured on this page: Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative 4.1 out of 5 stars (15) $8.95
	2% buy Gilgamesh: A New English Version 4.0 out of 5 stars (83) $10.20
	2% buy The Epic of Gilgamesh (Penguin Classics) 4.3 out of 5 stars (61) $8.64
	1% buy Prentice Hall Atlas of World History (2nd Edition) $15.24

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Customer Reviews

15 Reviews 5 star:  (10) 4 star:  (2) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:  (2)           Average Customer Review 4.1 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 18 of 19 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Mason's verse narrative impacts for a lifetime, August 24, 1998 By A Customer This review is from: Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative (Mentor) (Paperback) Twenty five years ago I came upon Herbert Mason's verse narrative, GILGAMESH, when I was grieving over the death of a foster son. It provided images that sustained and nourished me as I worked to be reconciled to my tragedy. It has continued to be a powerful force in my lifetime. The images and the well chosen phrases are part of me, and arise whenever they are needed. If this wonderful epic were familiar to everyone in our culture, as it was to the Babylonians who made it their national epic back in the third millenium B.C., we would be the richer for having a wealth of images to sustain us as we encounter our tragedies and walk through our dark valleys. Mason's retelling of the great story of Gilgamesh and his doomed friend, is beautiful, nourishing and empowering. 6 of 6 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A deep view of the meaning of life, February 22, 2002 By  Khaled Mahmoud Al Anani (Cairo, Egypt) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This review is from: Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative (Mentor) (Paperback) While there cannot be much doubt as to the cultural value of the Epic of Gilgamesh, the importance of the story transceds mere literary significance. The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of those simple and yet deeply insightful stories that one can relate to. The verse narrative style that mason adopts, while by no means a flawless poetic translation, takes you through the events in a seamlessly captivating manner. One can infer a lot from the story about the meaning of life, especially as regards how the ancient ones chose to answer questions such as eternity and why humans cannot live forever (u'll have to figure out which part of the story I am talking about!!). Overall this is a great reading. Shouldnt take too long to finish either, although I recommend that you take your time reading this one. 11 of 14 people found the following review helpful: 1.0 out of 5 stars False teeth, September 20, 2007 By  Stefan Steinsson (Hvolsvelli, Iceland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    The well meaning Mr. Mason does not represent the Epic of Gilgamesh well in his verse narrative. In fact, it is not a translation of the Epic, rather has he cooked up his own version of somebody else's translation. He did this in times when few knew much about Gilgamesh, and made many novices belive it was the Epic. I have even heard of a small country where the most prominent philosopher translated Mason's narrative into the native language. The literature professor entered it into the curriculum for early literature and everyone thought they were reading the Epic of Gilgamesh. Mason's verse narrative is strikingly purged of place and time specific references. In his hands this complex monument of Babylonian literature has become just "an old story... that can still be told" about friendship, loss and human mortality. In Mason's popular retelling, the character Gilgamesh has been reduced to a sentimental simpleton, who cannot deal with the facts of life. Such a retelling can be recommended for children, but it is too full of anachronistic references to "thoughts" (unheard of in early texts) and other modern phenomena to deserve the attention of grown-ups. From Mr. Mason's recreation of the poem alone it would seem unlikely that the Epic of Gilgamesh had held the fascination of generations of writers and scholars, ever since it was rediscovered in the 19th century. One former reviewer states: "If this wonderful epic were familiar to everyone in our culture, as it was to the Babylonians who made it their national epic back in the third millenium B.C., we would be the richer for having a wealth of images to sustain us as we encounter our tragedies and walk through our dark valleys." I do essentially agree, but in that case it is imperative to keep closer to the Epic itself, not to rely on an imitation. My recommendations: For those who need textual supplementary information and variant readings I recommend either of Maureen Gallery Kovacs or Andrew R. George's translations. Stephen Mitchell's New English Version should be easy to use for those who are looking for a simplified translation for a clear understanding.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 1.0 out of 5 stars The longest I had to wait for a purchase! Like what others have mentioned, I waited for a very long time to receive my order. I had to go to a bookstore just to purchase the same exact thing because my order wasn't... Read more Published 28 days ago by Stella Y. Chung 2.0 out of 5 stars Spirit of Gilgamesh insufficiently captured In short, the Epic of Gilgamesh is about life and death and how one should live, and touches the most important aspects of the human experience, such as friendship, love, loss of... Read more Published 5 months ago by aaa 5.0 out of 5 stars The best version for teaching As a high school humanities teacher, I've used this text for over a dozen classes, and I've looked at a number of different translations. Read more Published 11 months ago by Teacher S 5.0 out of 5 stars My First Introduction To Gilgamesh and Postmodern Poetics (from Ahadada Books) I picked up this book back in the early 1970's from a little card shop in 140 Village Shopping Center, Westminster, Maryland. Read more Published 17 months ago by M. Hori 5.0 out of 5 stars Read this again and again Mason's translation of the epic can be easily read in one sitting, but it is worth savoring and pondering passages filled with beautiful imagery and timeless meaning. Read more Published on September 16, 2007 by Lindsay M. Coppens 5.0 out of 5 stars Nothing needed to be said Words fail. I love this book, this translation, especially. It's not verbose; it relies on detail to express pathos. Read more Published on October 18, 2005 by komadori 5.0 out of 5 stars A clear and precise rendering of the world's oldest epic When I read this version, I wanted to buy and I did! I loved this simplified translation and Herbert Mason provided a clear understanding of the Mesopotamian story. Read more Published on August 26, 2005 by David Fletcher Noble 4.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful myth I read this book in my western civ class during college. I was not sure what to expect from it, but found that I was pulled in and the book and meaning of the book would not let... Read more Published on February 21, 2003 by Photopro 4.0 out of 5 stars Gilgamesh I had to read this book for a school World History class. This tale of the ancient god Gilgamesh, was written in free-form verses. Read more Published on October 19, 2002 by teenagerenthead 5.0 out of 5 stars the best I'm not a student of all the different translations, but this one, which was for a storytelling class, has stayed with me as one of my favorite tales ever. Read more Published on January 28, 2002 by Bryan Pearson Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books; 1 edition (July 8, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618275649
• ISBN-13: 978-0618275649
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #223,823 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #8 in

  Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Mythology > Gilgamesh

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mason's verse narrative impacts for a lifetime, August 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative (Mentor) (Paperback)

Twenty five years ago I came upon Herbert Mason's verse narrative, GILGAMESH, when I was grieving over the death of a foster son. It provided images that sustained and nourished me as I worked to be reconciled to my tragedy. It has continued to be a powerful force in my lifetime. The images and the well chosen phrases are part of me, and arise whenever they are needed. If this wonderful epic were familiar to everyone in our culture, as it was to the Babylonians who made it their national epic back in the third millenium B.C., we would be the richer for having a wealth of images to sustain us as we encounter our tragedies and walk through our dark valleys. Mason's retelling of the great story of Gilgamesh and his doomed friend, is beautiful, nourishing and empowering.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A deep view of the meaning of life, February 22, 2002

By	Khaled Mahmoud Al Anani (Cairo, Egypt) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative (Mentor) (Paperback)

While there cannot be much doubt as to the cultural value of the Epic of Gilgamesh, the importance of the story transceds mere literary significance. The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of those simple and yet deeply insightful stories that one can relate to. The verse narrative style that mason adopts, while by no means a flawless poetic translation, takes you through the events in a seamlessly captivating manner. One can infer a lot from the story about the meaning of life, especially as regards how the ancient ones chose to answer questions such as eternity and why humans cannot live forever (u'll have to figure out which part of the story I am talking about!!).
Overall this is a great reading. Shouldnt take too long to finish either, although I recommend that you take your time reading this one.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars False teeth, September 20, 2007

By	Stefan Steinsson (Hvolsvelli, Iceland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The well meaning Mr. Mason does not represent the Epic of Gilgamesh well in his verse narrative. In fact, it is not a translation of the Epic, rather has he cooked up his own version of somebody else's translation. He did this in times when few knew much about Gilgamesh, and made many novices belive it was the Epic. I have even heard of a small country where the most prominent philosopher translated Mason's narrative into the native language. The literature professor entered it into the curriculum for early literature and everyone thought they were reading the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Mason's verse narrative is strikingly purged of place and time specific references. In his hands this complex monument of Babylonian literature has become just "an old story... that can still be told" about friendship, loss and human mortality. In Mason's popular retelling, the character Gilgamesh has been reduced to a sentimental simpleton, who cannot deal with the facts of life. Such a retelling can be recommended for children, but it is too full of anachronistic references to "thoughts" (unheard of in early texts) and other modern phenomena to deserve the attention of grown-ups. From Mr. Mason's recreation of the poem alone it would seem unlikely that the Epic of Gilgamesh had held the fascination of generations of writers and scholars, ever since it was rediscovered in the 19th century.

One former reviewer states: "If this wonderful epic were familiar to everyone in our culture, as it was to the Babylonians who made it their national epic back in the third millenium B.C., we would be the richer for having a wealth of images to sustain us as we encounter our tragedies and walk through our dark valleys." I do essentially agree, but in that case it is imperative to keep closer to the Epic itself, not to rely on an imitation. My recommendations: For those who need textual supplementary information and variant readings I recommend either of Maureen Gallery Kovacs or Andrew R. George's translations. Stephen Mitchell's New English Version should be easy to use for those who are looking for a simplified translation for a clear understanding.